


Of Course You're Not Supposed to Go Back in the Cage, Sammich!

by LoveandScience



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Season 11 Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 05:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5363264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveandScience/pseuds/LoveandScience
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel hadn’t planned on coming back.</p>
<p>He’d died and been at peace with that; he knew he’d died because he remembered it, and just to be sure he’d checked a newspaper for the date, and there’s no way he could’ve been on a bender for that long.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sighing, because living meant he’d been brought back for a reason, he stretched out his wings and did a quick self-survey. Yep, all in functional order. At least, everything felt and looked fine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Where better to start finding answers than with the Winchesters?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Gabriel hadn’t planned on coming back.

He’d died and been at peace with that; he knew he’d died because he remembered it, and just to be sure he’d checked a newspaper for the date, and there’s no way he could’ve been on a bender for that long.

Sighing, because living meant he’d been brought back for a reason, he stretched out his wings and did a quick self-survey. Yep, all in functional order. At least, everything felt and looked fine.

Where better to start finding answers than with the Winchesters? They always seemed to be involved in stirring shit up, and he’d bet that even if they didn’t know it, they’d brought about his resurrection in some way or another.

Sam jumped out of his chair, reaching for the demon knife on the table next to him, then realized who he was looking at. And remembered that he was in the bunker and supposed to be safe from intruders, although angels seemed free to pop in and out if Cas was any example. And then there had been Sully... He raised the knife as Gabriel flashed a cocky grin.

“Not happy to see the archangel who sacrificed his life for you?” Gabriel asked. “Well, at least tell me what I did makes up for all the crap I did before that. Or that you trust me now.”

“Even if you’re really Gabriel, I don’t think it works that way. You became an ally, at best, and you gave us good information, sure. That doesn’t mean I’m okay with the other stuff you’ve done.”

“Fair enough,” Gabriel sat, reclining in the dining room chair and propping his feet on the table. “So, why am I alive? Did you and your brother break the world again?”

Sam’s face fell slightly. “I let The Darkness out,” he said.

“You let The Darkness out,” Gabriel repeated flatly. Feigning tiredness, he set his feet back on the floor. “Well, Dad would want the archangels to help with that. Even you two, who presumably saved the world because it’s not a miserable hellhole or boring-ass Eden utopia, ain’t cut out for that fight.”

The younger Winchester released his tight grip on the blade. This was Gabriel--not that he could trust him. But a demon blade wouldn’t work on him, anyway, and Sam knew he couldn’t take him in a fight without planning. He’d barely handled Lucifer.

“We got Lucifer into the cage, your plan worked,” Sam didn’t know why he was explaining this. He justified it as filling in someone who might be able to help clean up the mess he’d made letting Amara out. “But I had to let him possess me to do it. Then I took back control and flung us into the cage while he was still attached to me. Michael in Adam’s body, too.”

“Sam,” Gabriel whispered, eyes going wide and mouth hanging open.

Sam shrugged, unable to admit that Gabriel’s concern was slightly touching. “I was in there for a long time with two angry archangels, and you can probably guess yourself what that was like. I prayed, after The Darkness was out. To God. All he’s sent me since are visions of me back there, and I think I’m going to do it. You’re not afraid to be honest with me about that, right? Do you think that’s what God wants?”

“I think if Dad wanted Luci and Michael out of the cage, he’d pull them out himself,” Gabriel said, holding back his anger. “I think if Dad were so sadistic as to send a good soul like yours to be trapped in a torture chamber, I’d say ‘screw him’ and figure out another way, like you found a way out of keeping the world from ending. But this time, with a little less self-sacrifice. I think it’s a lot more likely, though, that Lucifer or Michael are sending you those visions. Did you ever consider that?”

Sam hadn’t. Not seriously. He’d been so wrapped up in guilt for freeing Amara in the first place that he believed he deserved to go back to Hell.

The emotions radiating from Sam were so strong and painful that Gabriel couldn’t ignore it. “You know, I thought you hated yourself a lot before I died. It seems you’ve managed to surpass what I thought were the limits of self-hatred and gotten worse.”

The hunter gave a small, half-grin. “I’ve done worse things since then, so it kinda fits.”

“See, you’ve always had this problem, Sam,” Gabriel leaned forward, startling the human by flashing six enormous gold wings. “You have such a bright, pure soul and you’re so full of longing and good intentions, but you think you’re tainted from that demon blood and from all your mistakes or attempts to be happy. You’re so wrong. In fact, you couldn’t be more wrong. That demon blood, while it sunk into your body, it didn’t touch your soul. The torture in the cage didn’t make the brightness any less. You running to Stanford and wanting an out or trying to make it on your own with Ruby doesn’t make you a bad person.”

The message sank in in silence for a period of minutes, while the archangel sat back and folded his wings out of this plane of existence again.

“You know what?” Gabriel said, and Sam looked up, attentive. “You could use a vacation.”

“Gabriel, I don’t have time for--”

“Of course you do. I can bend time and bring you right back to today when you’re good and feeling yourself again. Come on,” Gabriel held out his hand, gazing pleadingly at Sam.

For a moment, Sam considered yelling for Dean and Cas, because this had to be a trick. That’s what Gabriel _did_. But even if it was, trusting Gabriel meant he didn’t have to go back to the cage just yet. He took the archangel’s hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam didn't really know where he expected to end up, but he was standing in the middle of a sunny, desolate beach. The distinct smell of sunscreen wafted off his skin, and he realized he was in swim trunks.

A clump of sand hit him squarely in the chest, and Gabriel cackled.

“Oh, that's how it is?” Sam grinned, bending down to scoop a handful himself. He launched it, and even though he knew Gabriel could've dodged, it was satisfying to see it hit.

Gabriel flew forward, grabbing Sam's arm and pulling him to the ocean.

Chest-deep in water and still dazed from the weirdness and the being dragged like a rag doll, he didn't expect the playful splash of water. He wasn't in reality anymore, he decided. This had to be a strange dream, and that was okay, because while it lasted he could put off his fate. Purposely clearing his mind, he splashed Gabriel back, throwing himself into the water fight until he was worn out and the sunscreen started to wear off.

Wordlessly, Gabriel held out his hand again, and Sam didn't think twice this time. Instantly, they stood in a living room off of a kitchen, the open flooring probably five or more times the size of the motel rooms he was used to.

“We can go anywhere from here,” Gabriel said, like all this was nothing, “but my house is a good home base. It's less work for me because it's outside of time altogether. Less bendy stuff,” he smiled.

“Where are we going next?” He didn't want to make decisions right now. He didn't want the weight of the world on him, for just a little bit. A vacation. His last one.

The archangel led him to a surprisingly comfortable couch, and he sank into it gratefully, sore muscles relaxing. “After your nap, we'll get dinner, and then who knows? We can do anything, Samshine.”

A nap sounded nice. When had he had the luxury for a nap, ever?

He wondered briefly why he'd been able to shut his thoughts off so easily and throw himself into fun. Maybe Gabriel had done something to him, but really he didn't have it in him to care right now. Sleep overtook him, and whether or not that was also Gabriel's doing, he was grateful for it.

* * *

  
  


“I have to go back!” Sam sat up suddenly out of a dream. Blinking away the sleep, frantic, he found Gabriel just by his side. “I have to get back to Dean, and I have to deal with this. I shouldn't have taken off!”

“Hey, hey, remember we're outside of time? You don't have to go right this second. Let's just chillax,” Gabriel put a calming hand on the hunter's shoulder.

Sam nodded, recalling. “Yeah, but Gabriel, what if I can't go back? What if I stay here too long that I lose the courage and never deal with Lucifer and Amara and all of that? If I don't go now, maybe I never can.”

“Fine by me,” Gabriel said, surprising him. “Hey, I'm the king of running away from problems. I'm not one to judge. Stay forever; I'll keep your hiding place secret.”

He just didn't buy it. First, Gabriel lied and said he had a good soul, and Sam knew that was garbage. Then, he took Sam on vacation and now had offered to let him stay? Running away never worked before, he always got dragged back in, usually out of guilt. There had to be some reason Gabriel wanted him here.

“You know, I can feel your distrust,” Gabriel said. “Not that I don't deserve that. I don't want you to go to the cage, and if I can convince you to run away, you won't do it.”

Sam blinked. “Why do you care if I go to the cage or not?”

The archangel perched on the armrest of the couch. “Hello, Lucifer on Earth,” he said mockingly. “If I keep you distracted and happy here, I don't get killed off again.”

Well, that wasn't so bad, as far as ulterior motives go. “So we just... stay outside of time forever?”

“I can't swing forever, unless we're trapped in my house,” Gabriel admitted. “Sorry, kiddo. I can get us maybe a month of outside time before the clock starts ticking again. Any more than that and I risk breaking reality.”

Sam thought about that.

“But there's no reason you shouldn't use as much time as you want before going back. If you're insistent on jumping downstairs, might as well enjoy what time you can get before that happens.”

It was hard to argue with that. Sam held out a hand and smiled. “Dinner, then?”


	3. Chapter 3

It was easy to pretend, with Gabriel. The archangel had a seemingly endless list of fun, and being worn out made it so thoughts didn't keep him from sleeping at night. Sam hadn't let go like this since Jess, hadn't felt like he was safe.

And that's what did him in. He realized he felt safe with the Trickster who'd tortured him with Dean's death over and over. Who played deadly and harmful pranks on, admittedly, jerks, but being a jerk didn't mean they deserved to be hurt.

“Samsquatch, we should probably be getting home if you're bored of this. You don't want to waste your last week of pause time.”

Gabriel knew, when Sam turned around, what he would say. “I need to go back now, Gabriel.”

“Even if you don't want to run away, that doesn't mean you have to go to the cage,” the archangel said solemnly. “I can run away when Luci comes out if I have to. Sam, I just don't want you down there.”

“Why not?”

“I don't know, Sam, maybe it's because I'm still the kind of angel my father intended!” Gabriel snapped, getting angry now. “Good souls should be in Heaven, and only the worst in Hell. I don't like it the other way around, and you have so many other choices that it seems like a pointless martyrdom! Just stop with the Winchester self-sacrifice bullshit for once, will you? This is serious, I don't know how you'll get out again!”

Sam's frown deepened. “You think I don't know it's serious? I was down there! What else is going to stop The Darkness?”

“Not you jumping in the cage, that's for sure. Let me take a crack at Amara. Or hell, let me find my Dad! Maybe we can bring back Raph and--”

“You don't even know what brought you back, so I doubt that. And you said yourself before that God wasn't going to come out and help us.”

Gabriel crossed his arms. “Then I'll try.”

“You're back for a reason,” Sam said. “I know it's not to sacrifice yourself and get killed again. Take me back.”

Gabriel pouted, but reached for Sam's hand.

* * *

  
  


“For what it's worth, I think you're wrong,” Gabe said, reluctantly releasing Sam's hand after landing back in the bunker. “I think as soon as you'd decided to go, Dad resurrected me to stop you. Us and him stopped Amara before, and maybe it's just me this time, but he doesn't want you in Hell, Sam.”

Gabriel left before Sam could argue anymore. If he confronted The Darkness first, Sam would have no reason to sacrifice himself.

“Sam?” Cas called, walking toward him. “Who were you talking to?”

The hunter turned, seeing his brother close behind the angel, gun in hand. Cas was gripping an angel blade. “Gabriel,” Sam said, sitting. “He's here to help kill Amara, I think.”

He needed time to process everything, so he gave little details other than that, and eventually Cas and Dean stopped asking questions and Sam made an excuse to go to bed.

Lying there, the idea that Gabriel might go after her started as a stray thought. But he couldn't get to sleep, and it started to become more and more likely in his mind, until he was on the brink of too much panic that he was convinced of it. “Gabriel,” he prayed, not caring how desperate he sounded, “I need to know you didn't go after her.” He waited, and the worry just grew. “If you're not here in the next minute, I'm going down there.”

“That's very manipulative of you, Sammich,” Gabe said casually, making Sam jump with his sudden appearance. “You shouldn't threaten people.”

“I'm sorry, I just,” he tried to stop his heart from racing so fast, “I thought maybe you'd tried to find her and fight her yourself. I thought you were going to die again and, and I can't have anymore blood on my hands. Gabriel, please, promise me you won't,” Sam reached out for him in the dark of the room.

Gabe reached back to steady him by his arms. “I'm sorry, Sammy,” he said, really sounding it. “I'm not that noble. Me, take on Amara by myself? I'm just trying to find my father. You're the one I'm worried about doing something martyr-y. You should get some sleep,” he pushed Sam back down on the mattress.

“I can't sleep,” Sam said. “Not back here.”

Gabe studied him for a moment, then slid his hands down Sam's arms until he held the hunter's hands. “Would you like to sleep at my place?”

Sam nodded. He expected to be set up on the couch again, but this time Gabriel had brought him to a big bed with altogether too many pillows. The angel pushed several of them off, though, and pulled back the covers. Sam didn't question the upgrade and gratefully crawled in bed. He felt safer, here, somehow. Since when did Gabriel become anything close to security? That thought wasn't dwelt on long, though, and finally he slept.


End file.
